A week after the meeting with Princess Selene, Nihil's life at the academy had fallen into a strange rhythm. He attended classes, where he answered theoretical questions with such disconcerting precision that it baffled the professors and left the students in stunned silence. He spent the rest of his time in the Forbidden Archives, absorbing knowledge like a dry sponge, trying to piece together the fragments of the conspiracy surrounding his family. And every dawn, he was in the gymnasium, following Instructor Zander's brutal training regimen until his muscles felt as if they were on fire.
He had become an isolated yet renowned figure—a ghost spoken of by everyone but approached by none, except for Celia, who always greeted him with an anxious smile. He knew he was being watched—by Alina, by Selene, by Darius. The academy was no longer merely a place of refuge; it had become his personal chessboard.
One morning, a new announcement appeared on the main bulletin board, catching the attention of all first-year students.
MANDATORY FIELD ASSIGNMENT #1
Objective: Investigate Energy Anomalies and Missing Persons Reports.
Location: The Ruins of Silverstone Mines, Echo Mountains.
Duration: Three days.
Estimated Danger Rating: D-Tier.
It was their first standard assignment, a test to see how the students applied theory in the real world. But for Nihil, the most crucial part was the team list posted below it. His heart didn't beat faster, but Heze's mind immediately went into high alert as he read the names of Team Seven:
- Team Leader: Darius val-Luminar (Department of Holy Knights)
- Front Line: Orion Vex (Department of Sword Sciences)
- Chief Healer: Aurelia val-Crest (Department of Sacred Magic)
- Support Healer: Celia (Department of Life Magic)
- Support & Logistics: Nihil (Special Research Student)
Nihil almost smiled. This was anything but subtle. It was a team designed by someone—most likely Professor Theron, with Darius's tacit approval—for one purpose: to ensure their "logistical support" met an unfortunate fatal accident in the field.
Celia found him a few moments later, her face pale as chalk. "Nihil, have you seen this? It's a trap! They've placed you on a team with people who despise you the most! And I... I won't be able to protect you if Aurelia decides not to heal you."
"This is not a trap, Celia," Nihil replied calmly, his eyes still fixed on the names. "A trap is hidden. This is a stage. They want me to fail publicly, far from the Headmaster's watchful eye."
That evening, Darius gathered Team Seven in one of the strategy rooms. The atmosphere was so cold it could freeze fire.
"Listen well, for I shall say this only once," Darius began, his voice sharp and authoritative. He did not look at Nihil or Celia at all. "I am the leader. My commands are absolute. Orion, you are our spearhead. Aurelia, your focus is on keeping Orion and me alive. Celia, your task is to ensure Aurelia does not run out of mana and to handle minor scratches. Do not get in the way."
He finally turned to Nihil, his gaze filled with cold contempt. "And you. 'Special Research Student.' Your task is simple. You will carry all our equipment. You will set up our tents. You will cook our food. If there is a fight, you will hide behind and not die in a foolish manner. Do not touch anything, do not say anything, and do not do anything unless I command it. Is that clear?"
"Clear," Nihil replied emotionlessly.
His immediate and unresisting compliance seemed to irritate Darius slightly. He had expected an argument, an opportunity to assert his dominance.
Before the meeting was adjourned, Nihil sought out Finn Cogsworth, the eccentric genius from the Artificer department. In Finn's cluttered workshop, among failed fuses and half-finished golems, Nihil took out his Null-Capacity Condenser.
"I know this is not academy technology," Nihil said. "Can you repair it?"
Finn took the black artifact, his large eyes behind magnifying goggles sparkling. "By the gears of the gods... this... this is exquisite! The design... the principle of operation... it absorbs entropic energy! Where did you get this?"
"That is not important. Can you repair it?"
Finn examined it carefully. "The cracks are micro, in the absorption matrix. I don't have the tools for this. To repair it, I need components that can resonate with 'void' energy. I need..." his eyes lit up. "...a Void Crystal. Legend says such crystals only form in areas where reality is thin and eroded by unknown energies. Like... abandoned mines saturated with magic for centuries."
Nihil retrieved his condenser. A personal objective had now been added to his mission.
The next morning, Team Seven gathered at the academy's front gate. Darius, Orion, and Aurelia rode magnificent warhorses, their armor gleaming. Celia looked nervous beside a pony carrying medical supplies. And Nihil, horseless, walked beside a second pony laden with most of the team's equipment, his dark cloak contrasting with the academy's bright uniforms.
They marched out of the gate, leaving the safety of Solara Magna behind. The journey to the Echo Mountains had begun. For Darius, it was an opportunity to eliminate a problem. For Nihil, it was a chance to find something far more valuable than mere survival.
The two-day journey was an exercise in passive hostility. The noble trio—Darius, Orion, and Aurelia—rode ahead, their arrogant laughter and conversations clearly audible. Nihil and Celia walked behind in silence, the dust from the horses in front lashing their faces. Celia attempted to start conversations several times, but Nihil was more focused on observing the surroundings, mapping every rock formation and potential ambush route.
They arrived at Silverstone Mines at dusk. The scene was more terrifying than depicted. The mine entrance gaped like the maw of a dead giant beast. The surrounding trees were withered and blackened. A shattered merchant cart lay by the roadside, its rotten cargo scattered. There were no bodies, which somehow made it feel even more可怕.
"Alright, listen up," Darius commanded, dismounting his horse. "We'll set up camp here tonight. Venturing into that darkness would be foolish. Orion, check the perimeter. Aurelia, prepare protective shields around the camp. Celia, assist her. Nihil, set up the tents and start a fire."
The night passed with tension. Nihil completed his tasks in silence, then sat a little away from the fire, eating his ration of hard bread. He could sense something from within the mine. Not the usual aura of malicious magic. Something else. Something cold, sharp, and... hungry.
The next morning, they entered.
Orion led the way with his shield raised, his sword glowing with light magic chanted by Darius. The tunnels were narrow and damp, the air reeking of metal and decay. On the walls, they saw them. Veins of strange, dull purple crystals that seemed to pulse with a faint light.
"Odd," Aurelia muttered. "These are not mana crystals."
Suddenly, Orion stopped. "Listen."
They all fell silent. From the darkness ahead came a sound. A sharp, rhythmic clicking, like thousands of glass shards rubbing against each other.
And then, they emerged.
From the walls and ceiling, the creatures descended. They were the size of large wolves, their bodies entirely made of sharp, jagged purple crystal. Their legs were like sword blades, and they had no eyes, only a large pulsating gem in the center of their heads.
"Crystal Scuttlers!" Darius shouted. "Form a defensive formation! Orion, hold them off! Aurelia, reinforce the shields! I'll attack from behind!"
The battle erupted in chaos. Orion swung his sword wildly, but his blade only sparked as it struck the Scuttlers' crystalline bodies. The creatures were incredibly fast and agile. One of them leaped and raked Orion's arm with its blade-like leg, tearing through his armor and leaving a deep wound.
"Argh!" Orion roared.
"I need healing!" Darius yelled at Aurelia, who immediately cast a healing spell on Orion.
Darius fired several Light Spears. His attacks were powerful, but when they struck the Scuttlers' crystalline bodies, the light fragmented and refracted, drastically reducing their impact.
Celia tried to help, casting root spells to entangle the Scuttlers' legs, but the creatures easily severed them. They were overwhelmed.
Nihil, who had stood silently at the back of the formation from the start, had been analyzing. He observed how light was refracted. He saw how swords were ineffective. He noted the creatures' movements. And he identified their weakness: their rigid crystalline structure.
"Celia!" he called. "Make a loud noise to your right!"
Celia, though confused, trusted him. She struck her staff, creating a small sonic boom. Several Scuttlers turned toward the sound for a moment.
That moment was enough. Nihil stepped forward from behind the line. Ignoring the smaller creatures, his eyes focused on the largest Scuttler, which seemed to be their leader, preparing to pounce on Darius from the side.
He raised his hand, palm open.
[Using Atom Manipulation. Application: High-Frequency Resonance Wave.]
[Target: Internal Crystal Structure of Alpha Scuttler.]
[Capacity: 15/25 -> 10/25]
There was no explosion. No light. Only a high-pitched hum, almost inaudible.
The alpha Scuttler froze mid-leap. The gem on its head flickered wildly. Then, tiny cracks began to appear across its crystalline body.
KRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!
With a deafening sound like a million shattering glasses at once, the creature exploded from within, disintegrating into a cloud of shimmering purple crystal dust.
The other Scuttlers halted abruptly. They sensed their leader's disappearance from existence. Their primitive instincts took over. They turned and swiftly vanished back into the mine's darkness.
The battle was over.
An awkward silence enveloped the tunnel, broken only by the team's heavy breathing. Orion clutched his bleeding arm. Aurelia stared in horror. Celia looked at Nihil with admiration.
And Darius... Darius val-Luminar gazed at Nihil, who now leaned against the wall, his face slightly pale from exertion. He did not see a teammate who had just saved them.
He saw something impossible. Something unnatural.
Something that, for the first time in his life of privilege, made him feel a flicker... of fear.