The village guard arrived first, their leather armor clanking as they approached the Thornwick farm with weapons drawn. Captain Willem led them, his weathered face grim as he surveyed the ruined garden and the lingering traces of dimensional disturbance.
"Where's the rift?" he demanded, looking around in confusion. "The alarm said there was an active abyssal tear."
Marcus stepped forward, his arm protectively around Elena's shoulders. "It was here, Captain. About ten feet wide, maybe more. But it's... closed now."
"Closed?" Willem's eyebrows shot up. "Rifts don't just close on their own. Who has that kind of power in Millhaven?"
The question hung in the air like morning mist. Kael remained seated on the ground where he'd collapsed, letting his father handle the explanations while he tried to process what had just happened to him. Two level-ups at once had left him feeling strange, as if his body was still adjusting to the rapid changes.
"My son closed it," Marcus said quietly. "Used earth magic to disrupt the mana flow."
Captain Willem turned his attention to Kael for the first time, his expression skeptical. "This boy? Isn't he the one with the family condition? I heard he couldn't light a candle with magic, let alone close a dimensional tear."
"Things change," Tam interjected, his voice carrying a note of defensiveness that surprised Kael. Despite their frequent conflicts, his younger brother was standing up for him.
Before Willem could respond, the sound of hoofbeats announced new arrivals. A group of riders approached at full gallop, their mounts lathered with sweat from hard travel. At their head rode a woman in the blue and silver robes of a kingdom mage, her staff crackling with barely contained energy.
"Mage Lyralei," Captain Willem said, bowing respectfully. "We weren't expecting—"
"Dimensional disturbances of this magnitude trigger automatic alerts in the capital," the mage interrupted, dismounting with fluid grace. "Where is the rift?"
"Closed, my lady," Willem replied. "The family claims their son managed to seal it using earth magic."
Lyralei's sharp gaze swept across the garden, taking in the withered plants, the scorched earth where void-blood had fallen, and the lingering traces of magical energy that only a trained mage could detect. Her expression grew increasingly puzzled.
"I can sense the residual dimensional instability," she murmured, walking to where the rift had been. "This was definitely an abyssal tear, probably Class 3 or higher based on the energy signatures. But the closure technique..." She knelt and placed her hand on the ground, her eyes closing in concentration.
Kael watched nervously as the mage examined his work. Would she be able to tell that his magic had been enhanced beyond his natural capabilities? Could she detect the system's influence somehow?
"Fascinating," Lyralei said finally, standing and brushing dirt from her robes. "The mana redirection pattern is textbook perfect, but the execution shows... irregularities. It's as if someone with intermediate theoretical knowledge but novice practical experience performed the spell while under extreme stress."
"That's exactly what happened," Elena said, speaking for the first time since the officials arrived. "Kael has been studying earth magic theory for weeks, but he's never actually cast anything this complex before."
The mage turned her attention to Kael, studying him with the intensity of a scholar examining a rare specimen. "Show me your mana circulation."
It wasn't a request. Kael struggled to his feet, his body still exhausted from the emergency quest's aftermath. Under Lyralei's watchful gaze, he activated his Basic Mana Circulation skill.
The energy flowed through his body more smoothly than ever before—another benefit of his recent level-ups—but it was still clearly the work of a developing practitioner rather than a master.
"Interesting," the mage murmured. "Your circulation is weak but stable. Definitely someone who's been practicing regularly for weeks rather than years. But to perform intermediate earth magic with this level of ability..." She shook her head in apparent disbelief.
"I got lucky," Kael said quietly. "And desperate. My family was in danger."
"Desperation can sometimes push people beyond their normal limits," Lyralei agreed. "Though rarely to this extent." She gestured to her companions, who had been examining the area around the former rift. "What did you find?"
"Void creature remains," one of the riders reported. "Definitely a corrupted wolf, probably Level 15 or higher based on the energy decay. Killed with a piercing weapon through the chest cavity."
"You fought a void wolf?" Captain Willem stared at Kael in shock. "Boy, those things can tear apart trained soldiers."
Kael touched his ribs where the creature's claws had raked him. The wounds were already healing faster than they should have, another benefit of his improved Vitality. "I had to. It was going to attack my mother."
Mage Lyralei walked over to examine the pitchfork he'd dropped after the fight. The wooden handle was cracked from the impact against the wolf's skull, and void-blood stained the metal tines.
"Improvised weapon, perfect striking angle, decisive blow," she observed. "Either you're naturally gifted at combat, or you've been hiding your abilities."
"I've been working on the farm my whole life," Kael replied truthfully. "You learn to handle tools properly."
It wasn't a complete lie. His Basic Labor skill and the temporary enhancement had provided the coordination and strength needed, but his fundamental understanding of leverage and impact came from years of manual work.
The mage seemed to accept this explanation, though her expression remained thoughtful. She turned to address the group as a whole.
"Here's what I'm going to report to the capital," she announced. "An abyssal rift appeared in Millhaven due to an underlying mana instability that had been building for weeks. Local resident Kael Thornwick managed to close the rift using earth magic techniques learned through independent study, though the success was likely due to a combination of theoretical knowledge, desperation, and exceptional luck."
Kael felt a wave of relief. The official story would protect his family from unwanted attention while acknowledging his role in the crisis.
"However," Lyralei continued, "young Thornwick's actions today demonstrate potential that should not be wasted. I'm recommending him for immediate evaluation by the International Academy for Adventurer Excellence."
The words hit Kael like a physical blow. The academy? The most prestigious magical school in the known world? Him?
"That's impossible," Captain Willem protested. "The boy doesn't meet the minimum requirements. He's Level 1, maybe Level 2 at most."
Mage Lyralei smiled. "Actually, I'd estimate he's closer to Level 8 or 9 based on his magical development and combat performance. The Thornwick family condition appears to have masked his true capabilities until recently."
She wasn't wrong about his level, though she'd reached the right conclusion through incorrect reasoning. Kael's rapid advancement through the system was far more dramatic than the gradual development she was assuming.
"The academy has a special admission program for late bloomers and exceptional circumstances," the mage explained. "Someone who can close an abyssal rift and kill a void creature on the same day definitely qualifies, regardless of their previous limitations."
Marcus stepped forward, his expression torn between pride and concern. "Mage Lyralei, we're honored by your recommendation, but Kael is needed here. Our farm—"
"Will survive without him," she interrupted firmly. "The boy has demonstrated abilities that could save countless lives if properly trained. It would be criminal to waste such potential on farm work."
Kael looked around at his family, seeing the mix of emotions on their faces. His mother was crying, though whether from pride or sorrow he couldn't tell. Tam looked stunned, as if he couldn't quite believe his older brother might actually leave for the academy. His father seemed aged by the day's events, his shoulders bowed under the weight of decisions beyond his control.
"What would happen if I went?" Kael asked quietly.
"You'd be placed on probationary status initially," Lyralei explained. "Students who enter through special circumstances have one semester to prove they belong. If you can reach Level 10 and demonstrate adequate academic progress by the end of your first term, you'd become a full student."
"And if I can't?"
"Then you'd return home with some basic training and the knowledge that you tried." The mage's expression softened slightly. "But I don't think that will be necessary. Someone with your determination and natural instincts should thrive at the academy."
Kael felt the weight of the decision settling on his shoulders. The academy represented everything he'd dreamed of but never thought possible. A chance to grow stronger, to learn from the best instructors in the world, to become someone who could truly protect the people he cared about.
But it also meant leaving his family when they needed him most, venturing into a world where his humble origins would mark him as an outsider from the start.
[SPECIAL QUEST AVAILABLE: THE ACADEMY PATH] [Accept Academy Invitation and prove your worth] [Reward: Access to advanced training, elite connections, unlimited growth potential] [Failure: Return home in shame, limited future opportunities] [Warning: This choice will fundamentally alter your life path]
The system was offering him guidance, but the decision ultimately had to be his own. Kael looked at his parents, seeing the sacrifice they were willing to make for his future, then at the ruined garden where he'd proven himself capable of more than anyone had imagined.
"I need to think about it," he said finally.
Mage Lyralei nodded approvingly. "Wise. This isn't a decision to make lightly. I'll be staying in the village tonight to complete my investigation. Give me your answer in the morning."
As the officials departed to examine other aspects of the dimensional disturbance, the Thornwick family gathered in their kitchen for what might be their last meal together for a very long time.
"You should go," Elena said quietly, breaking the silence that had settled over them. "This is the opportunity we've all been praying for."
"The farm needs work," Kael protested. "The winter planting, the repairs—"
"Can be handled by the rest of us," Marcus interrupted. "Son, your mother is right. This is bigger than our little farm."
Tam nodded reluctantly. "I never thought I'd say this, but... I'm proud of what you did today. And jealous as hell that you might get to go to the academy while I'm stuck here mucking out stalls."
The conversation continued late into the evening, covering practical concerns like travel arrangements and family finances. But underneath the logistics, Kael sensed his family's genuine desire for him to seize this chance, even if it meant leaving them behind.
When he finally retreated to his room, Kael sat on his bed and stared at the quest notification still floating in his vision. The academy represented everything he'd ever wanted, but it also meant stepping into a world where his system would be his only advantage against students who'd been preparing for this their entire lives.
[Accept Quest: THE ACADEMY PATH? Y/N]
Kael closed his eyes and thought about the void wolf's burning gaze, the rift threatening to tear reality apart, and the moment when he'd chosen to step forward instead of running away.
He'd spent sixteen years being afraid of his own inadequacy. Maybe it was time to find out what he was truly capable of.