Nathan Evenhart:
I was on my usual morning run.
I liked waking up, taking a cold shower, and running shirtless. Even though my body reinforced itself with mana, I couldn’t neglect physical training. I aid for a perfect balance—the key was performance. I didn’t wear armor in battle, relying instead on mana for protection, so I focused on speed and agility. My training always prioritized those muscle groups, ensuring I never gained unnecessary weight, keeping my physique lean yet defined.
A true fighter couldn't be overly muscular—too much bulk would reduce agility and disrupt the aerodynamics of sword movents.
I kept running, completing laps along the path in front of our dormitory. This was a private area, reserved for students like . I trained shirtless, letting the wind and the sense of freedom help focus. My goal was to refine my electrical perception, tuning into the constant flow of electricity running through my body. Thanks to this heightened sensitivity, I could detect when sothing—or soone—entered my proximity field.
However, this ability was nearly useless if my opponent was too fast or if I was in an environnt where I couldn't react in ti. What I truly needed to train were my reflexes.
Reflexes were instantaneous reactions—like electrical impulses traveling through the nerves, making the body respond to danger without thinking.
But what I sought was beyond normal reflexes—I wanted to enhance this ability using my own electricity. My idea was to train my brain to generate faster electrical impulses, allowing to move or adjust my stance the mont I sensed sothing approaching. This would create an almost automatic counterattack—where my body reacted on its own to threats.
"Ahh!" I heard Princess lina yelp in pain.
She had struck a tree with her sword, but the blade hadn’t cut through, slipping from her grip.
"That hurt…" she said with a sheepish laugh.
lina was an Emitter-type mana user. This ant she had far greater potential for long-range spellcasting, making direct combat unnecessary for her. She was a Shooter Mage, while I, as a Combat Mage, didn’t have the sa long-range capabilities or massive mana reserves to rely on spells alone. I had to engage in close combat—but I didn’t mind. In fact, I preferred it.
"You're ssing up your stance again," I said, stepping closer.
lina had asked for pointers. Even though she had access to the best sword instructors, she was too embarrassed to ask for help. Her family had already given up on teaching her swordsmanship, but she was determined to improve.
"Where did I go wrong, Professor Nathan?" she asked.
She had this habit of calling professor whenever I trained her.
The only downside to helping her was that sotis, she would start chatting about random teenage topics for hours. Even though she was technically an adult by law, I had noticed she was ntally still a bit childish—probably because she had been raised in an overly protective ho.
She had told so odd things that I just let slide—like how she always stayed in her room when at the castle and had confessed that she still played with toys. But she made promise to keep it a secret—I was the only one among her friends who knew.
I wasn’t particularly comfortable spending ti alone with a girl like her, but I had seen her cry more than once over her lack of sword skills. So, I decided to help her.
"You don’t need to call professor, we’re classmates and friends," I said.
"B-but you noticed things that none of my other instructors did—things about my stance that I was getting wrong," she said proudly.
"Alright…" I conceded.
"Pick up your sword again."
I moved closer, adjusting her grip with my fingers.
A single mistake in how she held the sword could cost her in a fight. If she used the wrong wrist movents, she’d tire herself out too quickly in prolonged combat. Everything had to be precise—there were monts where only the wrist should move, and others where the entire arm had to be engaged.
"Stand straight, keep your feet firmly planted. Hold your sword aligned with your center—it helps both with posture and the speed to parry incoming attacks. If your sword tilts too much to the left, you leave an opening on the right," I instructed.
Her stance is completely off...
When I placed my hands on her back to straighten her posture, lina let out a small yelp.
"What was that?"
"N-nothing..." she stamred, her cheeks turning red.
Is she sick? Her face is way too flushed.
Once I corrected her posture, she resud practicing, striking at the tree again.
I took the opportunity to do so sit-ups—I had run enough for the day.
lina kept training, but I noticed she was getting even redder.
"Are you okay?" I asked. "Your face looks like a tomato."
"I-I'm perfectly fine, Professor Nathan," she said nervously.
After finishing her training, she sat down on the bench beside .
"Want so water?" I offered her my canteen.
"Yes!" she quickly accepted.
I thought about my next tasks—there was still so ti before the first class of the day.
lina started talking about how happy she was to be improving and learning new sword techniques.
"lina, I know you want to be skilled with a sword. But don’t neglect your magic. You’re one of the most talented mages of this generation. Don’t waste your potential," I told her.
"I-I know, Professor!" she replied, then conjured a bright, radiant ball of purple fire and hurled it into the sky. It shot up at an incredible speed before exploding in the air.
I whistled, genuinely impressed.
"The fire from your bloodline is really unique. It’s stronger than blue fire, and its flas consu everything even faster," I analyzed.
"It’s because of my family’s mana lineage," she whispered as she leaned closer. "I’m the only one of my generation with this fire. Even stronger than my brother," she said proudly.
I stood up and stretched. "That is impressive… Being able to naturally produce sothing of that intensity is a huge feat."
A normal mage has to be extrely skilled just to create blue flas. And for , modifying my lightning’s color to make it stronger practically tears apart from the inside. Yet, she can naturally unleash the highest intensity of fire with ease, even in its most basic form. Truly remarkable
"Are you leaving already, Professor?"
"I have to. I need a bath, and I’ve got a few tasks I still need to finish," I replied.
She seed to understand.
"Alright. Thank you so much for your ti, Nathan," she said. "You’re the only one I can talk to about these things. Being a princess is hard… I’m never allowed to make mistakes."
"I can imagine. Being the public figure of an entire kingdom… That’s not sothing just anyone could handle," I said. "But don’t keep everything bottled up. Always have a friend by your side to share the burden, even just a little."
"O-okay… Thanks. You always know just what to say," lina responded.
I left feeling relieved.
Managed to get through that conversation by just repeating what the monk used to say. Thanks, Sifu.
I never tried to keep her at a distance out of malice, but soone like her—ntally fragile yet forced to be an unshakable pillar due to her position—would naturally start developing feelings for anyone who simply listened to her and offered advice.
That was why I always made a point to keep a certain distance in our friendship and avoided spending too much ti alone with her. Whenever we were alone, I steered the conversation toward neutral topics—her training, class subjects—anything that wouldn’t create misunderstandings.
The last thing I wanted was a rumor spreading about being involved with a princess.
Besides… I already had three fiancées.
If one angry fiancée was a problem, imagine three. That was definitely sothing I couldn’t handle.
As soon as I stepped into my room, Cylla was waiting for .
"Why were you outside, shirtless, with Princess lina?" she asked.
I glanced down at myself.
Oh… now I understand why the princess was so red…
"I can explain!" I quickly said.
Cylla stomped her little paws on the floor in disapproval.
"The only one allowed to see my husband's naked body is !" she declared, slightly irritated.
"I wasn’t naked, don’t exaggerate…" I sighed.
***
After classes, I was back in my room.
Cylla was lying down, calmly nibbling on a fruit while I sat at my desk, staring at the ss in front of . Dozens of spoons, made from all kinds of tals, were scattered across the surface.
I had been experinting, trying to refine my control over electromagnetism.
No common tal could properly contain Lightning Mana, except for Akonium Stone. But sothing peculiar had happened when I used my purple lightning—the energy seed to attract tals or even make them float.
The secret was sowhere in that phenonon.
"For now, silver and copper are the best conductors of electricity," I murmured, analyzing my test results.
Mages with Transmitter or Emitter mana types were usually capable of coating their weapons with their elents. A skilled Fire Mage, for example, could heat a blade until it glowed red-hot or even engulf it in flas—simply by conducting their mana through the tal.
However, trying to manipulate mana to acquire electromagnetic properties was sothing that, so far, seed beyond my reach.
I took off my shirt, placing several spoons made from different tals along my body. Then, I began generating electricity, aiming to keep the spoons stuck to my skin while also trying to manipulate them into moving.
Silver proved to be the best tal for this—but my results were still inconsistent.
"My body naturally has so magnetic properties due to electricity… Maybe I can’t turn tal into a magnet, but I can beco a magnet myself," I mused, analyzing my findings.
The spoons kept falling off, but occasionally, they stuck for a few seconds.
I was attempting to channel my electricity in a way that turned it into an electromagnetic force before it even left my body—but that goal was still a long way off.
After so ti, I decided to set the experints aside.
I grabbed my journal and began writing down my observations.
"Maybe one day, I'll be able to control molten tal… or even lt it, shape it while it's hot, and hurl it at an enemy," I sighed as I scribbled my thoughts.
Then, I rembered the piece of Akonium Stone I had been gifted.
Once, I asked Professor Adrihna about the price of that material. I was shocked to learn that it was worth twenty-five thousand gold coins.
That tiny fragnt I carried was worth nearly half of my duchy’s entire annual wealth.
Professor Adrihna had given sothing invaluable—far beyond any paynt she had received for teaching and Chloe over those months.
Akonium Stone was incredibly rare. It was only produced in small quantities once every hundred years, thanks to the giant worm farms that Adrihna’s family maintained deep within their cavern estates.
Her family owned nurous mines and was one of the wealthiest and most influential noble houses in the Elven Kingdom.
After all… she was the daughter of a duke.
Setting aside my experints with magnets, I returned to my daily training, focusing on mastering purple lightning.
Unfortunately, I couldn't properly test my hypotheses—using that power was far too dangerous. It was a destructive force that, if mishandled, could end just as easily as my enemies.
The core of my training was improving the circulation of electricity within while simultaneously developing the ability to cut off the flow of mana in specific parts of my body.
This went against conventional magic logic—mages were trained to always keep mana flowing at high speed. But that constant flow was precisely what caused purple lightning to start destroying from the inside.
My solution was to train myself to restrict the mana’s circulation, concentrating it solely in my mana gem and arms.
If I ever had to use purple lightning, my plan was to channel it only through those points.
But the risk was enormous—funneling all that energy into just one arm ant there was a real possibility it could explode.
"Everything depends on lowering the electrical charge’s intensity after it turns purple," I thought. "But at the sa ti, I need high intensity to reach that level of power."
I let out a deep sigh, frustrated by the limitations and the risks.
The real problem with testing this… was that I had to be willing to lose an arm.
It wasn’t worth it. This power was sothing I could only use in true life-or-death situations. The risk of permanently crippling my body for the sake of an experint was simply not a fair trade.
With that conclusion, I shut my journal and glanced at the scattered spoons on my desk. For now, my priority was finding safer ways to expand my abilities without compromising my physical integrity. That was my true goal. I couldn’t rely on my Special Eyes, let alone the Celestial Eyes. I had to focus on my true power—thunder.
Not even wind magic, which I had so mastery over, could compare. I needed to beco the greatest Lightning Mage in history—to prepare for what I feared was coming in the future: Darkness and Demons.
William Halldam:
It was nightti, and I walked through Apsalon's comrcial district. The central street was illuminated by glowing orbs of magical light, and the flow of people was constant. Housewives and noblewon strolled with their children, carrying shopping bags; children ran excitedly with new toys, while others carried bundles of fabric or baskets filled with fresh fruit.
Apsalon was a city where luxury and simplicity intertwined. Nobles and commoners coexisted in the sa space, but the social divide was evident in the marketplace. So stores were exclusive to the nobility and required identification at the entrance, while others catered to the rest of the population. Interestingly, there were nobles who served other, more powerful nobles as vassals. I myself ca from a noble family, but we were re vassals. High-ranking or extraordinarily wealthy nobles had lesser nobles as vassals to bolster their prestige and influence.
As I walked, my thoughts drifted to sothing far greater than the bustling streets of Apsalon.
I had been invited to be part of sothing grand… sothing terrifying.
I had uncovered the truth about this world and its hidden order.
There exists a supre being, an absolute power, far beyond everything and everyone. He is known as the Great Lord.
This being resides in a distant land, alongside his people—a kingdom whose power surpasses anything I have ever witnessed. He can be benevolent, but he is also ruthless. His rcy is reserved only for those who stand by his side. For those who dare to oppose him… their fate will be worse than death itself.
Even his servants frighten . They are far beyond any mage or warrior I have ever encountered. If his followers are like this, then what could be said about the Great Lord himself? He is a god. A god who, in the past, was betrayed and wounded by those to whom he had shown rcy.
We are the descendants of one of those people who rebelled against him.
And now, the Great Lord is preparing to return and exact his vengeance.
He does not forget.
He does not forgive.
But he offers a second chance.
The Great Lord does not seek only to destroy; he seeks to rebuild. He wishes to shape a new society, offering rcy to those who accept his sovereignty. Those who support him will be spared and will beco citizens of his new world. The chosen ones, like myself, will hold positions of power in this new order. But those who resist… will suffer a fate worse than death.
I have seen what they are capable of—their soldiers, their power. I’ve caught only a glimpse of what they can do. And I have also seen… a fraction of their kingdom. That place is the pinnacle of existence; nothing compares to it. No matter how hard we try, we will never be able to stand against a deity. Yet, even so, he will spare the chosen ones and grant them authority when he reshapes this continent—and the other one. There will be no kings or queens; everything will be under his dominion. But we, the chosen, will be the new nobility of his world.
No one can stand against Lady Sindra, let alone the Great Lord and his army.
I have beco one of the chosen, a part of his new world. What he offers is a land of peace for the chosen, a world of true power. I have seen the level of strength wielded by those who serve him, and that is real power. He also promises wealth, influence, and sothing no one else can offer—ti. He can extend our lives so that we may enjoy the wonders of his realm. Those who serve as his acolytes… are practically immortal.
I reached a narrow alleyway, stopping in front of a simple wooden door. A faded sign indicated that the place was a bar. I knocked twice—neither too hard nor too soft—following a precise rhythm known only to those who belonged.
"Who is it? We’re closed," a voice called from the other side.
"A lone wanderer enters the tavern, his eternal journey never abandoning him," I recited calmly.
There was a pause, the voice taking a mont to respond, the air thick with tension.
"Why does he walk alone, yet never remain empty-handed?" the voice asked, deep and cautious.
"He is alone, but the Darkness walks with him," I replied firmly.
Silence settled once more, broken only by the faintest sound of movent behind the door.
"Only those who are not embraced by the night fear it. What did the wanderer say to the moon?"
"Long live the Darkness," I murmured.
A sudden chill ran down my spine as I felt the cold pressure of a blade against my back. A presence had appeared behind without a sound.
"Long live the Darkness," the voice behind repeated, the knife still pressed against my skin. Without resisting, I raised my hands in surrender.
The door creaked open, and I was shoved inside.
The interior was shrouded in dim light. Cloaked figures in dark robes moved through the space, each wearing wooden masks. Every mask bore the sa expression—empty, sorrowful, as if embodying the lancholy of darkness itself.
The door behind was firmly shut, and one of the masked figures approached, yanking off my storage bracelet and examining it carefully.
"Only the basics," I muttered as another figure, with precise movents, returned the bracelet to .
"William Halldam…" a voice echoed from among the masked figures, cutting through the silence. "The eting has already begun."
I fastened the bracelet back onto my wrist, preparing to follow.
"You may proceed, Leader William," one of the masked figures said, gesturing toward a wall that suddenly slid open behind the bar counter. Most likely, one of them was a mage manipulating the stone.
Stepping through the opening, I found a spiraling staircase descending into the depths, faint torches casting flickering light at irregular intervals along the way.
"Just follow the path, Leader William," the voice repeated behind .
I began my descent, and the echoes of conversation grew louder.
As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I found myself in a long, narrow corridor. The voices beca clearer, mingling with the crackling of the torches.
Finally, I arrived at a dimly lit circular chamber. The torches cast restless shadows along the stone walls. In the center, a group of cloaked figures in black robes and wooden masks stood in eerie silence. Above them, seated on an elevated chair like a makeshift throne, was a familiar figure—Theodore Borir.
"Well, if it isn’t the true star of the night," Theodore said with a smirk, his voice echoing through the chamber. The murmurs ceased instantly, and all heads turned toward .
"Co, I’ve been expecting you," he gestured, beckoning forward.
I walked toward the center of the room under the heavy stares of the masked figures. Theodore, unmasked, maintained a composed expression, sitting like a king among commoners.
"We were just discussing you. So of these people will be there to assist you," he explained, his tone rehearsed. "But now, I want to hear it from you—how is the progress with Viktor Saul?"
I knelt, attempting to show my respect.
"Don’t do that. You don’t need to. I’m not Lady Sindra—that woman is terrifying even to us," he said with a laugh, and the others chuckled along with him.
I quickly stood up.
"My apologies," I began, the weight of failure pressing down on . "I’ve been trying to recruit him for so ti, but he has only ignored . He interpreted the invitation as sothing from the underworld. I didn’t want to push too hard—I had to be careful… I failed."
Theodore remained silent, his expression unreadable. For a mont, I feared his reaction.
Then, he smiled and gestured for to relax.
"Relax, boy," he said smoothly. "You don’t control everything. If everything depended on you, I have no doubt you would never disappoint the Great Lord."
"Of course! I would never do that," I responded with conviction.
"Then there’s no reason for to be upset," Theodore said, his voice as calm as ever. "The first contact is what matters. At the right mont, when Viktor Saul understands the true scale of things, he will co to you. Don’t worry. Soon, many others will join our side, and we will have plenty of work—and rewards—for everyone." He chuckled, his expression dripping with superiority.
I nodded, showing my understanding.
"I want to be useful and be rewarded as well," I said with determination. "I promise I will do everything as you instructed for the day of the expedition."
Theodore folded his hands and tilted his head slightly.
"And what about Sebastian? Do you think he will handle things well? Did you notice any hesitation or anything unusual about him?"
"No," I answered directly. "Sebastian is just… himself. Everything will flow as planned. On the day of the expedition, the timing will be perfect. All the students will be gathered, and the headmistress, along with most of the professors, won’t be able to interfere."
Theodore nodded, satisfied.
"Excellent," he said, a glint of anticipation in his eyes. "I want you to keep an eye on him and make sure everything goes as it should. You will also be responsible for a crucial part—opening the portal for us inside the tower. Did Sebastian’s father give you the instructions?"
"Yes," I confird. "He was clear and consistent with what you had told ."
Theodore smiled almost paternally, though his tone still carried the weight of authority.
"Perfect. Let Sebastian believe he is the leader of the team. But don’t forget—you are the true leader. You are one of the chosen. If you fulfill your role well, you will have a position of great importance when these kingdoms finally fall."
I agreed, but there was sothing I needed to say, even if it risked making seem ungrateful.
"I have spent all these years studying at Apsalon as a convert," I began, carefully choosing my words. "I have done everything that was asked of . I manipulated, deceived, and recruited more students for our cause. I’m not complaining about what I’ve received—I am grateful. But… it feels like Sebastian is the one receiving all the glory. He was nad the second leader of Princess Elara’s elite Sky Knights and even beca engaged to Her Highness Alice. I just feel that, despite everything I’ve done, he gets more recognition."
A heavy silence fell over the room. The masked figures stared at , and the tension was palpable.
"Are you complaining about the reward granted to you by the Great Lord?" one of them asked, his voice sharp.
Before I could respond, Theodore raised his hand. A force of wind magic crushed the masked man, sending him to the ground with a scream of agony. His leg was shattered with a grotesque crack, the sound of bone breaking echoing through the chamber.
"Ahhhh!" he scread, writhing as Theodore held his control effortlessly.
"Take care of him," Theodore ordered the others, his voice cold. The masked figures quickly moved to drag the injured man away.
Theodore turned his attention back to , his expression a mix of calm and authority.
"It’s alright. He wasn’t wrong," he said. "Indeed, Sebastian has been rewarded more. However, what he has received is rely the reward of this kingdom. What awaits you is in the next kingdom, when everything falls under the Great Lord’s dominion."
I swallowed hard and lowered my head.
"I understand. I apologize for my complaint."
My eyes involuntarily drifted to the injured man being carried away.
Theodore stepped forward, his voice taking on a more provocative tone.
"But the Great Lord is generous to those who serve him. Tell , would you like to have a position as prominent as Sebastian’s? Would you want to be engaged to Alice Asalon, just like him?"
I hesitated, unsure how to answer.
"Co on, be honest," he pressed, a sarcastic smile on his lips. "Who wouldn’t want that?"
"I suppose… yes," I murmured.
He studied , touching his chin in thought.
"You see, we made the right moves to ensure he beca engaged to Alice Asalon. But you’ve overlooked sothing."
Theodore paused dramatically, his voice heavy with expectation.
"There are two other won from the human royal family," he continued, stepping down from his elevated seat with calculated steps. "I’ll let you choose—what do you think of the valiant Elara? Strong, fearless… a warrior. Or perhaps you’d prefer soone more reserved, like lina Asalon?"
Theodore walked slowly toward and stopped at my side, placing a firm hand on my shoulder.
"When everything goes according to plan, we can set you on the path to one of them," he said, his voice calm, almost fatherly. "I know the rewards the Great Lord has prepared for his arrival are extraordinary, but I agree—you deserve more. That’s why, if you do your part well and ensure that things unfold as planned, you, William Halldam, will rise from the vassal of a duke to a mber of the royal family."
He finished with a light pat on my shoulder.
His words echoed in my mind. My heart nearly stopped at what I had just heard.
"Really? Are you sure?" I asked, incredulous, unable to contain my excitent.
"But of course," Theodore replied with a smile. "With the right moves, I can set you on the correct path. You just need to fulfill your role. Soon, your mont to shine as a hero will co, and until then, we will make sure you grow even more powerful. You will be recognized for your own rit. Sebastian only got where he is because of his father’s fa in the war. But you… you will rise through your own strength, through your own efforts."
Theodore then took my arm, gently pulling up my sleeve, exposing my skin. From within his cloak, he retrieved a black stone that pulsed like a dark, beating heart. As he brought the stone closer to my arm, sothing happened. Small black veins began to spread beneath my skin, twisting like living roots.
"I see you’re adapting well to what you’ve been given," he said, observing my arm with evident satisfaction.
"Yes. I am very grateful," I replied, trying to remain composed, even as the strange tingling sensation coursed through .
"This is how the servants are blessed," Theodore continued, his smile turning sinister. "Even Lady Sindra herself possesses a high concentration of this within her. Demon blood strengthens the chosen. What you have received is sothing not even Sebastian or his father could obtain. It makes you stronger—the blood of a demon."
He pulled the stone away, and the black veins vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
"Are you ready for what must be done?" he asked, his eyes locked onto mine.
"Yes," I confird, my voice heavy with determination. "I must kill that important person."
Theodore studied for a mont, assessing my words, then nodded with a small, satisfied smile.
"Go and fulfill your mission. When the ti cos, you will be rewarded even further."
He returned to his seat, crossing his legs as if there were not a single worry in the world.
I straightened my posture, my gaze fixed on him, then turned to the masked figures watching .
"Long live the Darkness!" I declared, raising my voice.
"Long live the Darkness!" they all answered in unison, their voices echoing off the dark walls.
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