The next day, as always, Arthur and Julius woke before sunrise and began their morning training. The air was still crisp, their breaths visible as pale mist in the cold dawn.
Panting, Julius asked,
**"Do you think Anos has been a little off lately?"**
Arthur, standing tall and taking deep breaths, nodded slowly.
**"Yeah… I've felt the same. Maybe it's the exams coming up. Or maybe something else is weighing on his mind."**
Julius hesitated.
**"But what if it's something more serious?"**
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Arthur replied softly,
**"If it's something personal, he might not want to talk about it. But Anos isn't the type to keep it to himself if it's something he really can't handle. If he needs help, he'll come to us."**
Julius sighed.
**"Yeah… maybe you're right."**
Arthur's voice grew firmer.
**"Until we know more, we shouldn't pry into his personal life. Let's give him time. If it's important, he'll let us know."**
Julius nodded, still uncertain.
**"Alright… if you say so."**
The sun was beginning to rise behind the mountains, casting golden hues across the sky. They stood in silence, watching the dawn unfold, then turned and made their way back to the dormitory.
As they stepped inside, the cold and cluttered state of the room instantly caught their attention. Books were scattered across the floor, and several pages had been taped to the walls. The scent of flowers mixed with the mustiness of old books hung in the air.
Arthur walked over to Anos's bed and found him still fast asleep. He called his name softly a few times, then gently shook his shoulder.
Anos mumbled, half-asleep, eyes barely open,
**"Just five more minutes… I swear I'll get up…"**
Arthur pulled the blanket away, but Anos immediately tugged it back. Getting slightly annoyed, Arthur raised his voice a little.
**"Anos! Is this really the time to sleep in? Come on, we need to get ready!"**
Meanwhile, Julius had walked over to the row of flower pots he'd brought from the first day of the academy. Humming softly, he began watering them:
*"Like the rising sun…
A new day in skies of blue…
In meadows full of life…"*
After a few minutes of struggle, Anos finally got up, eyes still half-shut, grumbling,
**"If you'd waited just five more minutes, the world wouldn't have ended…"**
Arthur, exasperated, replied,
**"You always say that, and then complain we didn't wake you sooner!"**
Julius joined them, grinning,
**"Come on, guys! Get dressed, we need to head to the academy. Breakfast first, then class. Move it!"**
Arthur began putting on his black uniform, trimmed with elegant golden edges. He glanced into the mirror—staring back was a boy with silver hair and golden eyes. He noticed he had grown taller, his body more toned—a clear sign of the hard training he put himself through each day.
A faint smile touched his lips.
His efforts were starting to pay off.
The three of them got ready and, following their usual routine, made their way to the academy. On the way, they spotted Sophia and greeted her warmly, as they did every morning.
Together, they entered the dining hall and sat at one of the familiar tables. The room buzzed with energy—laughter, conversations, the clatter of trays and dishes. Students all around were engaged in lively talks: city news, rumors, plans for the future.
Suddenly, Arthur remembered something.
**"Oh! I forgot to mention—first-term exams start in about a month. We really need to get serious. Anyone got a study plan yet?"**
Julius shrugged.
**"I don't have anything solid yet…"**
Anos rubbed the back of his neck and said, a bit tired,
**"I've been studying every day after classes. If I've got extra time, I use it for training, but then I barely have energy left for physical practice. I'll probably struggle in swordsmanship and combat arts unless I come up with a better schedule."**
Then he looked at Arthur and Sophia.
**"What about you two? Got a plan?"**
Sophia took a small sip of her tea, paused a moment, then answered,
**"I stay in the library almost every night until midnight. Since exams are coming up, they've extended the library hours. Like you, Anos, I'm pretty weak when it comes to the physical exams. I'll probably run into trouble there too."**
Arthur, having listened carefully to his friends, said:
"I study in the library at night and train with Julius in the mornings. So far, I haven't had any issues, but I'm not leaving anything to chance. I need to be prepared to score well."
After a few minutes of discussion about exam plans, the four of them entered the classroom and took their seats. Arthur quietly stared out the window. The sky had brightened, and a gentle breeze rustled the tree branches.
At that moment, Professor Satella entered the room, carrying a stack of test papers. The sound of her footsteps broke the silence.
The students stood, but the professor said in a cold tone,
"Sit…"
She then scanned the room with a stern look and added,
"I honestly didn't expect things to be this bad. Some of you aren't even trying to stay in this academy. Let me read the scores so you understand what I mean."
She began raising each paper and reading the names along with the grades. Any paper that had a score below 70 was thrown to the floor:
"Subaru, 46... Ainzenn, 21... Yuriji, 59...
Anos, 89... William, 37...
Julius, 74... Arthur, 95... and Sophia, 98..."
The papers scattered across the floor as students, one by one, approached with somber expressions to collect them. A wave of disappointment filled the room; many had their pride crushed right then and there.
Arthur thought to himself that Anos had lost the bet to Sophia. Anos looked upset and frustrated. Julius, however, managed a faint smile, pleased he had at least passed, and nodded toward Arthur.
The professor spoke loudly,
"Out of 25 students, only 7 scored above 70. That's disastrous. If you go into the first-term exams like this, you're guaranteed to fail. Everyone who scored below 70 must attend remedial classes."
She sighed and continued,
"Now, open your history books to page 106. Today's topic is the war between the human kingdom of Selinda and the elves of Ilvarinne. This war took place 160 years ago, caused by Selinda's enslavement of the elves. A great conflict recorded in history, where many lives were lost…"
Everyone opened their books and began reading.
Next Class – Swordsmanship with Professor Kyle
The training hall was a spacious room with wooden flooring and tall windows through which the golden sunlight streamed. Beyond the glass, the peaceful academy park could be seen.
Some students were warming up, others were chatting, and a few were practicing grappling.
Professor Kyle entered, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention:
"Hope you're all having a good day. Today, we're going to start practicing the Holy Thunder Slash technique. But before that, I need to address something I'm sure you've heard recently."
He paused and said with firm seriousness,
"With the first-term exams approaching, you first-years are currently not allowed to participate in the tournaments. But that doesn't mean you're free of challenges. Each of you will be tested by a commander of the Royal Knights. Neither I nor any other instructor is allowed to intervene. Justice must be absolute. So if you still think you have plenty of time, you're dead wrong. No excuses will be accepted."
Class began, and the students got to work on the new technique. Then, the professor decided to hold sparring sessions with the students. One by one, they entered the arena, and each time, the professor swiftly and effortlessly defeated them.
It was William's turn.
He picked up his wooden sword and charged at the professor. But Kyle, calm and composed, rotated his blade and diverted the strike effortlessly.
William quickly leapt back to maintain distance and rethink his strategy.
With a steady tone, the professor said,
"You're attacking carelessly. You had better opportunities, but you let your opponent control the flow of battle. That means you lost from the start. Try again—this time, with intent."
William nodded. After a moment of focus, he launched a smarter and faster barrage of strikes—aiming at the head, limbs, hands—anywhere he could target.
Sparring Scene – Professor Kyle's Class
With smooth and precise movements, Professor Kyle redirected every blow, as if the attacks were gusts of wind brushing past him. Eventually, he decided to counter seriously.
With lightning speed, he struck William's chest with a powerful kick. William was thrown back, gasping and clutching his chest in pain.
With piercing eyes, the professor asked,
"That's it?"
William's eyes flared with anger. Unable to suppress his emotions, he ignored the professor's earlier warning and activated his "Demonic Berserk" technique—a dangerous move that strained his inner organs and was only meant for emergencies.
He launched at the professor again, now faster and stronger. Though his strikes were more forceful, the professor didn't even flinch. Suddenly, he struck William's side, but in his berserk state, William didn't feel the pain and kept attacking.
Five minutes of relentless fighting passed. Finally, William's body began to give out. Blood trickled from his nose and mouth. He staggered, dizzy.
The professor immediately sensed the severity of the situation.
"That's enough, William. The fight is over."
But William whispered weakly,
"No…"
Before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed unconscious.
The professor rushed to him and used a healing spell, but William was still unresponsive. With the help of another student, he sent him to the infirmary. Then he sighed and said,
"When I say don't rush to use your techniques, it's for moments like this. Your bodies aren't ready to handle this much mana yet… reckless use will only bring harm, even death."
He turned to the rest of the students.
"That's enough for today. You're dismissed."
On the Way to Professor Charles' Class – Arthur & Julius
As they walked toward the next class, Arthur and Julius strolled side by side. Julius said,
"Seems like he's not planning revenge—for now."
Arthur replied seriously,
"I doubt it. People like that are like snakes—they creep up quietly and strike when you least expect it."
Julius hesitated,
"Maybe he realized hurting others isn't the right path."
Arthur answered firmly,
"I judge by the data. The only skill he's awakened is berserk. That alone tells us the kind of person we're dealing with. Don't let your guard down."
Julius looked at him uncertainly, but chose not to argue.
Professor Charles' Class
When they entered, Sophia glanced at Arthur and said,
"Arthur, are you okay? You seem off."
Arthur, still looking out the window, replied softly,
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Professor Charles entered with a smile.
"I hope you're having a good day so far."
He looked around and added,
"Seems like one of the students is missing."
Julius responded,
"William was injured during practice with Professor Kyle. He's in the infirmary now."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope he recovers soon. Now, let's move on to today's lesson…"
Today's Topic: Mana and Its Effects
The professor spoke with focus,
"Today, we'll talk about the nature of mana colors and the consequences of overusing it. Mana is a form of pure energy that's usually invisible to the naked eye, but when it interacts with the environment or certain fields, it can turn into visible light. The most common color is violet—a sign of balance between power and instability."
He continued,
"In areas with high density, mana may act like a prism and produce a spectrum of light. This can lead to special phenomena like magical plants, mana crystals, or even the birth of monsters."
A student asked,
"Do the strength levels of monsters born in such areas depend on the mana concentration?"
The professor replied,
"Exactly. The higher the mana, the more powerful the monsters that may appear. That's why mages with high mana often suppress their aura—to avoid drawing attention or accidentally triggering the birth of unwanted creatures."
**Another student raised their hand and asked:**
— "What kind of damage does excessive mana usage do to the body?"
The professor explained:
— "Mana functions like fuel. Overusing it without proper harmony between mind and body can lead to extreme fatigue, muscle tremors, dizziness, unconsciousness, or even coma. In severe cases, the body might begin to burn from within. The mind, under such stress, can suffer from hallucinations or paranoia."
Anos asked:
— "What if we run out of mana during a fight? What should we do then?"
The professor raised his fists with a grin and said:
— "Then all you've got left are these fists!"
Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere in the class lightened up.
Afterward, the professor elaborated on how to manage mana wisely in battle and answered more questions from curious students.
---
**After Class – Dormitory**
Once the class ended, the students returned to their dorm. Arthur, Julius, and Anos entered their room and began changing clothes.
Julius chuckled and turned to Anos:
— "Looks like you lost the bet, huh?"
Arthur, suddenly remembering, laughed out loud:
— "That's right! You even scored lower than me!"
Anos, realizing they were teasing him, responded with irritation:
— "Next time, I'll definitely win!"
Julius added with a mischievous grin:
— "Well, now you have to cover Sophia's expenses for a whole month. Get ready to go broke!"
Anos looked at him suspiciously:
— "I didn't think you'd even score above seventy!"
Arthur smiled and said:
— "Julius worked really hard. I expected him to get over eighty. It's a solid start—we'll get ready for the final exams."
After a bit more teasing and friendly chatter, the three of them climbed into bed.
This was only the beginning of their adventures at the Magic Academy...