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Chapter 54 - Wysteria Academy 2

Whispers rippled like silk through the high-domed marble lobby of Wysteria High. The air shimmered faintly, not with temperature, but with presence. Students from the Outerverse, Omniverse, and even remnants of forgotten timelines stood frozen, the breath of curiosity caught in their throats.

He walked—no, he glided. Muhan Lockhart's every step seemed to press against the flow of reality, not defying gravity, but ignoring its existence altogether. His black shoes clicked softly against the polished aether-glass floor, each step resonating like a distant toll of fate.

Above him, floating orbs of cascading light dimmed slightly as if adjusting to the magnitude of his aura. His tousled hair swayed subtly, dark as void-dust, catching glimpses of the golden skylight that filtered down from the floating garden above. The wind, artificial yet mystic, stirred only when he passed—rushing past rose petals and silk banners, whispering "he's here" in a voice only the soul could hear.

His eyes—those glowing, unreadable blue irises—were not looking at anyone, yet they seemed to see everything. Students couldn't help but turn, some gasping quietly, others frozen in place. One girl, a Chrono-class enchanter, dropped her scepter. Another, a descendant of the Celestial Clan, gripped her heart.

He exhaled slowly, hands still deep in his pockets.

And the clouds above the pocket dimension stirred.

The skies, moments ago clear with simulated sun, began to tremble. Dark clouds twisted into being, not from weather but from will. Thunder didn't crash—it pulsed, like the heartbeat of a dragon watching from a far dimension. The sky did not darken because of storm clouds—but because fate itself hesitated.

Muhan Lockhart had entered Wysteria High.

"W-Who is he?" a girl whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why does it feel like I'm seeing the main character of the entire Existence…?"

"He's… he's the one," another said, pupils dilated. "The one who fought See-hoo."

"That's him. Muhan Lockhart."

As his name fell from trembling lips, a pulse of invisible light surged outward—a ripple of Blue Aether, so faint it existed only between reality's frames. His aura wasn't just too much to comprehend—it was too much to narrate. Like a book refusing to be written.

Then, he turned his head slightly.

Just enough to glance toward a cluster of girls standing near the crystalline statue of the Wysteria High Founders.

That one movement…

One girl fainted.

Another dropped her dimensional badge and didn't notice.

Three others instinctively whispered, "I think I love him."

And then—he smiled. Barely. Just a flicker.

Reality shivered.

Wysteria High was not simply a school; it was the summit of a legacy woven through the very fabric of time and space, a floating bastion nestled between infinite dimensions. The school's grand architecture resembled a blend of both modernity and ancient magic, where the polished marble floors were lined with ethereal light pathways that connected different realms and timelines.

The floating campus was held above the core of a massive, suspended multiversal bridge, formed by four interlocking ley-lines that stretched far and wide, connecting the pocket dimension of Wysteria High to other forgotten places in the Omniverse. The campus floated effortlessly within a vast pocket dimension, a space that existed on the outer layers of the realm of Aetheria—where all dimensions met and parted like the ripples on a vast, cosmic ocean.

This school was unlike anything else in existence.

It had been forged by the ancients, those who had transcended the old boundaries of reality. It was woven into the very heartbeat of the multiverse, its halls aligning with the ley-lines that converged in the center of Aetheria, where dimensional energies blended and bled into one another. These ley-lines were no mere magical currents; they were the threads of fate themselves.

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Leylines: The Source of Power and Destiny

The ley-lines of Wysteria High were the arteries of power that not only sustained the school but also kept the multiversal balance intact. There were four primary ley-lines that crisscrossed beneath the high school grounds, each one pulsating with immense energy and bending reality itself. They were the hidden veins of the universe, and only those with the highest understanding of dimensional energy could access their full potential.

1. The Leyline of the Existence: This leyline was connected to the very structure of existence itself. It provided temporal manipulation and dimensional anchoring. Students who were attuned to it could control the flow of time within certain boundaries, shifting between past and future, or even between multiple realities. It was the very heartbeat of Wysteria High's ever-expanding realms.

2. The Leyline of the Omniverse: This leyline connected to the wider omniversal continuum. It held the keys to infinite realities, extending into places untouched by any known being, where laws of physics were written by the whims of thought and will. Mastery of this leyline allowed one to tap into the infinite, bending universes to one's will. Those who could harness it wielded incredible power but faced grave consequences if misused.

3. The Leyline of the Nexus: This leyline connected to the center of the multiversal network, where all paths through dimensions converged. The Nexus was the meeting point for every possible world, a place of constant flux where the destinies of universes were woven into existence. The leyline held the power to control destiny itself—but with great power came great responsibility. Those attuned to it could alter fate and rewrite destinies, but only at the cost of their own identity.

4. The Leyline of Aetheria: This leyline flowed with pure, unfiltered aether energy—the raw substance that birthed creation itself. It was the most volatile and dangerous of all the ley-lines, connected directly to the Realm of Aetheria and all its mysteries. Those who could channel this energy could tap into the absolute essence of creation, but it required the highest level of spiritual and physical mastery to wield without losing oneself to the madness of infinity.

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The Role of Students and the Tournament

To be eligible for Wysteria High, students had to demonstrate incredible talent and potential in understanding these ley-lines and the interwoven nature of the multiverse. Every year, a Grand Tournament took place to determine who could enter the school, and the criteria were more than just raw strength or magical skill—it was about one's connection to these ley-lines and the energy flowing through them.

The Tournament Evaluation was the ultimate test. Contestants faced challenges that tested their comprehension of space, time, and power. Those who ranked in the Top 20 were granted entry into the grand institution.

But the real challenge lay in the ancient Leyline Trials: each student had to prove their ability to control at least one leyline. If successful, they were granted access to the hidden sanctum beneath the school, where they could learn to master their connection to these primordial forces.

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